Former Solon Man Sentenced on Federal Charge of Possession of a Sawed Off Shotgun

DAVENPORT, IA - On November 20, 2014, Spencer James Bertling, age 22, formerly from Solon, Iowa, was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge James E. Gritzner to 33 months imprisonment for possession of a sawed off shotgun, announced United States Attorney Nicholas A. Klinefeldt. Bertling was also ordered to serve two years of supervised release following the imprisonment, and to pay $100 towards the Crime Victims Fund.

On October 18, 2013, law enforcement officers performed a search of a Solon residence as part of a narcotics investigation. During the search, officers found and seized a 20 gauge shotgun modified to have an overall length of less than 26 inches and a barrel of less than 18 inches that was not lawfully registered to Bertling in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record. Bertling pled guilty to this offense on August 20, 2014.

This case was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Johnson County Drug Task Force, and the Iowa Department of Public Safety-Division of Narcotics Enforcement. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa.

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